The Film Daily (1929)

Sunday, November 17, 1929 Timely Topics A Digest of Current Opinion — ©— Holds Screen Operas Will Improve Talking Films THE "grand talkie" certainly ought to l>e feasible. Furthermore, if it introduces any new ideas to tlie movies it may raise the level of standards in general. In particular, it might show a new way to blend story with music, which is one of the problems that the talkies are up against at present. The man who can invent a new way to cue in music, whether he has a story to go along with it or not, will make his fortune. And a grand talkie, perhaps, will show a new way. If it does, movies may get better. "The World," New York * * * Calls Fox's Plan to Link Talkers with Education Sound SCHOOL, authorities everywhere are giving thought to the plan of William Fox. The producer's preliminary announcement did not attempt to go into details; he knows these must develop according to needs and opportunities. Nevertheless his determination to contribute to the enterprise a considerable share of his personal fortune is sufficient evidence of his confidence in the soundness of his new method of instruction. "Topeka (Kan.) Capital" Without Improvement Screen Will Return to Silent Basis ITNLESS further talent be' comes available, and development ensues, it is only a very short time before the rapid completion of installations will bring talking picture business to a basis closely approximating to that formerly maintained by silent business. The wise exhibitor will watch closely his future commitments accordingly. "The Cinematograph Times" (London) TEN YEARS AGO TO-DAY IN Albert F. Brentlinger, Indiana exhibitor, will build several large houses for his chain. * * * Alice Lake signed by Metro for five years. ffV DAILY Along The Rialto with PhilM. Daly, Jr. PAUL BURGER has been laid up with spinal trouble lately. Don Clarke of Emmgeeem caught in the throes of autographing "Louis Berretti" for some of the office staff The M. P. Salesman's annual ball gets under* way next Saturday at the Astor, N. Y., with plenty of talent lined up for the entertainment part of the show Since Jay Emanuel has become a publisher he is a regular visitor in Noo Yawk Ben Shlyen is in town from Kansas City and says the wind is blowing big things which may be expected to break very shortly Herb Rawlinson, who has been doing quite a bit of emceeing at Washington, will appear on the legit stage in Noo Yawk Harry Buxbaum spends his lunch hours on the handball court in a local Y. M. C. A. gym R-K-O is reported to be making a success out of their independent local house, the Park Lane, which was taken over from Charlie O'Reilly several weeks ago Rudy Kuehn, general manager of the Consolidated Amusements, is about to launch another exploitation campaign for the circuit's seventeen houses Westerns are not bygones, in fact we expect to see Paramount's "Virginian" open for a week stand on Broadway very soon The director of a picture being shown at legit prices on Broadway is guilty of a bad blunder. An early scene in the film shows a small town theater audience, and in the front row sits a girl with her knees elevated and crossed so that they stand out prominently. Along about the end of the story there is another audience shot, this time at the Palace, New York, and the same knees appear in the same position One of the busy gentlemen of Times Square and environs is William Brotherhood, who is outside sales representative for Craft Lab assisting Nat Saland. Will H. Hays is a great friend of newspaper men. After delivering an address it is his custom to hold a round-table confab with the gentlemen of the press and answer any questions they might like to put to him. Samples of such queries, overheard on a recent occasion, are as follows: "Do film companies accept scenarios from outsiders?" "How can I get an autographed photo of my favorite star?" "How does a man with a good voice go about it to get in the talking pictures?" Etc., etc. Hays answers all questions cordially and earnestly. It is all a part of his job. 94 NUMBER 94 Industry Statistics By JAMES P. CUNNINGHAM Statistical Editor, The Film Daily "TWIDENCE of the great ■*^ rapidity with which theaters in America are wiring for sound can be gleaned from the official statement of one of the leading sound manufacturers which pointed out that 114 sound installations had been made during a recent week, averaging an installation every 87 minutes, based on a full 24-hour sevenday week. This furnishes an interesting comparison with the 21 installations made by the company throughout all 1926; 136 in 1927 and 889 in 1929. MANY HAPPY RETURNS November 17 Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who today are celebrating their birthday : Eddie Baker Leone Lane Edna Murphy Jimmy Aldine Jack Irwin Eugene Picker Milton H. Feld Crane Wilbur George Macfarlane AND THAT'S THAT By PHIL M. DALY ^FHERE IS a certain hotel in Washington, D. C, where members of Congress are privately entertained in a hideaway suite at the expense of a big lobby group. A lot of the constituents back home would be surprised, and we might even say greatly shocked, to behold their Congressman who had been sent to the Capital on an overwhelming Prohibition vote, seated in this luxurious apartment imbibing freely liqueurs of the finest vintage. If his taste is not so aristocratic, he can have plain ordinary gin. And plenty. * * * Now supposing — just supposing — certain gents in Congress who are sponsoring anti-film legislation along with Prohibition enforcement are to be found certain evenings in this hideaway. Wouldn't that be an interesting situation? * * * Social Note Just received this note from Ignatz Gloop, our roving correspondent, now touring the arid spots of Oklahoma : "Dear Phil: The citizens out this neck of the woods are so absorbed in poker that fillums are in a sorta slump. I sat in a li'l game the other night. These old hardshells are plenty tough. They play close to their vests, and manipulate the pasteboards so fast that a guy can't even take a chance to turn his head aside for a second to spill his tobacco juice. So they put the cuspidor in the center of the table. Ignatz." * * * He Knows Now Joe Skirboll sez that Bill Yearsley used to think a margin was nothing but white space down the side of a letterhead. * * * We heard of a guy who is so dishonest you couldn't trust him alone with a red hot stove. He carries a pair of asbestos gloves. 66 THEIR FIRST JOBS ED HALPERN secretary-stenographer